Fluffy did not know what to do. After returning from Latos he had moved straight home to Dau and docked, allowing the dockhands to repair the damages from the many attacks he had endured traversing the ion storm inbound for Remley. He had made a promise but really didn't know if he could keep it. As a matter of fact, he didn't know if he were allowed by the TGFT charted. Wasn't it fraternising with the enemy? He needed some advice. He limped over and accessed the roster for today's missions and found the pilots that were in the station. Seemed like John Eldritch was eating breakfast and he was probably the right one to ask. He headed over to Soggy's pancakes and waffles cursing his buttock-graft that made him walk like a badly drawn version of Quasimodo all the way.
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John had called Hortan and asked if he would join him for breakfast as he was on his way to his brand new heavy mining moth dubbed "The Queen". Even though he had just eaten he accepted; you could never get too many pancakes really. He joined John, Neagoth, Lambin, Pasquel and Ms Chi and started his usual attempt at world extinction of anything pancakie. The topic was naturally Waldoze and his newly re-found love-of-his-life Melody. The consensus was that they would give it another two weeks and then they would split again in a spectacular argument. Maybe continue the cycle of mutual love and hate for a while even before finding an acceptable level. When Fluffy limped over they nodded to him but continued talking among themselves.
"'Scuse me, I need to ask you a question John."
The group stopped talking and looked at Fluffy. This was unusual, Fluffy was rarely timid. Neagoth grinned, lifted his dark glasses up into his forehead, revealing the one green and one blue eyes he had implanted in honour of a long dead singer and pointed with his fork at him.
"Sure, you can ass a question, but no cheeky ones."
The group laughed except Hortan who didn't understand the joke. Fluffy smiled at Neagoth while taking one finger up and pulling down on his left eyelid.
"Right here buddy, right here. No, seriously I need a word John, please?"
John put his napkin down, nodded to Ms. Chi and got up.
"Sure Fluffy, let's walk."
They walked down to a table further in the restaurant and sat.
"So, spill the beans Fluff. What is the problem?"
"I have made a promise to someone that I am not sure I am able nor even allowed to keep."
John raised an eyebrow but didn't say a thing.
"I have...gosh. Okay, here goes. I did a run with pharmaceuticals to Remley, got in trouble and asked Azumi to help me. She did and wanted a favour in return."
John started smiling along with the raised eyebrows.
"And she is now expecting me in Latos Mining dressed nicely in around an hour."
"I fail to see what the problem is? I mean, so she wants a hot date with The Fluffy or something. No problem here mate, just make sure that you don't do anything that goes against your morals and I am sure you will be fine. Oh, and please don't tell Hortan buddy. Have fun and good luck."
John padded Fluffy on the shoulder and walked over to his pancakes again, a grin on his face showing that Fluffy was in trouble but okay.
Fluffy got up and limped out of the restaurant, waving to the crew as he passed and dragged himself to his rooms. He needed to change, the shorts and sleeveless shirt combined with flip-flops was probably outside of what Azumi defined as nice. He found the dress uniform and wormed into it, complete with all his mining ribbons, trade ribbons and the special TGFT ribbon for Successful Defence Against Pirates with the C on top of it for 100 kills. He looked in the mirror and was satisfied. Maybe not as flashy as John, maybe not as impressive as Dozer, maybe not as clear-cut as Surbius, but still looking pretty good. He picked a blonde wig and placed it on his head. There, it couldn't get any better now. He walked down to his Atlas TPG X special edition and launched for Latos Mining. He arrived without problems, docked his ship and sat himself in the dock area and waited for Azumi steeling himself for the encounter with some Helio Mists from his hip flask.
On the hour a pink Warthog Mk II trainer version docked at a breakneck speed, actually making a turn with full thrusters inside the dock. To the sound of super heated metal cooling, the canopy gull wings opened and Azumi jumped out. Fluffy managed to swallow some of the whisky into his windpipe and started coughing like as if he had tuberculosis. He had only seen Azumi once before, and that had been in a very intoxicated state in a dark room where she had been escorted by several pirates that definitely had taken some of his attention away. Not so this time. Azumi had dressed in a long black armless flowing dress that swirled around her feet like a lovesick puppy yet managing to avoid hindering her movement in the slightest, complemented by a jade green necklace with an obscenely large blood-red gemstone that matched her make-up. A pair of long black gloves that were adorned with red and green semi-precious stones in two swirling lines from her slender wrists to her elbows seemed to lead directly to her raven-black hair that was kept in place by a silver net with the same kind of stones as the ones on her gloves. She smiled at Fluffy and twirled, her hands out from her sides and showing her naked back where her second tattoo dominated. She grinned mischievously at him after showing off and walked over.
"You can breathe now, otherwise you'll faint and then you won't be of much use."
Fluffy realised that he had held his breath for more than a minute, actually the whole time he had looked at the piratess. He took a deep breath and even remembered to close his mouth. He got up and bowed formally for her, showing that he would vacate the chair for her if needed, even if his ass hurt like ever. She smiled coyly at him and shook her head. He looked somewhat confused at her and was about to ask her something when she put her left index finger on his lips.
"I am going to a party, and I want you to join me."
Fluffy was speechless, what could this Goddess possibly want him for?
"Relax, it is not as you think dear. I need you for a little gimmick. It won't hurt at all and you might even have fun if you are the least curious and flexible."
She opened her right hand and a long silver chain fell from it. She then explained her idea, which Fluffy hardly heard and merely nodded his agreement to. At this stage he would have agreed to just about anything.
